Summer 2016 Benitez has the best squad in the championship, spends £54m and then about another £40m the following summer.
Hughton at Brighton and Wagner at Huddersfield started summer 2016 with much weaker teams than Newcastle (especially Huddersfield). Both teams have spent less than Newcastle since summer 2016.
12 games into following season and about 16 months on from that summer, Newcastle are below both Brighton and Huddersfield.
Lots of talk the other day on the radio that Benitez will hand in his resignation if takeover falls through and he does not get funds to spend. Why does he have such a strong bargaining position? Are people still going on about a cup win in 2005?
I don't think this was right at all. And Benitez said as much.
Brighton had a stronger squad than Newcastle built up over five years. But Brighton had six first teamers injured for the whole season as the actual playing squad was handicapped, especially noticeable at the end of the season. (With the extra games a strong squad of 26 players is needed in the Championship.)
The wheels nearly fell off for Newcastle at a crucial period last season but they got lucky. All down to Short failing to back Benitez in the last January market.
Newcastle made a scoop signing in Ritchie, a very good signing in Hayden, but another injury in midfield would have seriously hampered them last season with one player in Colback as cover.
Short is unwilling or unable to back Benitez even to the prudent spending of Brighton this season. Or the players are not available?
I think teams underestimated Huddersfield last season and that gave them some extra points. Not that did not deserve to go up and I thought at one stage they would catch Newcastle, but the combination of other teams realising they were quite good and injuries mounting in a weaker squad stalled them.
Brighton have had an easy start this season so far, so there position is false. Brighton got so badly outplayed by Man City (better than Liverpool of the seventies) in the first game that their confidence was badly dented, and dropped points with home draws, especially against Everton who were awful (except for Pickford, Keane and Jagielka). These dropped points could count in the final countdown.
I expect Brighton and Newcastle will be neck and neck this season if Benitez stays.
nobody is talking about buying them it was just whether or not they were good enough to play in the CHAMPIONSHIP for NUFC under RAFA. Did you even read the thread. Worra thicky!
